GSR Sock: A New e-Textile Sensor Prototype

Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) is a measure of skin conductivity that has been extensively linked to emotional stress and activation. Emotional reactions often cause increased sweat gland activity in the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, making skin more conductive in these areas. This paper presents a novel e-textile prototype for measuring GSR from the foot using conductive fabric electrodes embedded in a standard sock. The prototype was tested using both a standard psycho-physiological monitoring system and a wearable sensing unit. The results show that the sock prototype provides a meaningful measure of GSR activity that can be used unobtrusively in daily monitoring.